Car-checking device.



No. 683,370. Patented Sept. 24, Bill. A. M. ACKLIN.

CAR CHECKING DEVICE. (Application filed June 15, 1900.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, I

ALFRED M. AGKLIN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-CHECKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,370, dated September 24, 1901.

Application filed June 15, 1900- Serial No. 20.422. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. AcKLIN, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car- Ghecking Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to car-checking devices, and has special reference to an apparatus for checking ca rs in descending an inclined track.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple device for engaging with the car in descending inclined tracks which will check the movements of such car to some extent and at the same time will permit the car to travel down said tracks until the engaging device is freed from said car, after which the car can move by its usual gravity along said tracks.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for returning the engaging device to place for another operation.

My invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use my improved car-checking device, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of an inclined track, showing a car thereon engaging with the checking device, some of the parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a central section through the checking device, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modification of the device.

Like letters herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

A represents the car, which is adapted to travel, by means of its wheels a, upon the inclined tracks B, and located between such tracks B or at one side thereof is the hooktrack 0, upon which track the base D of the hook D, which engageswith the axle a of the wheels at, rests. Connected to the base D of the hook D is the chain or rope e',which passes around the friction and ratchet mechanism E, and from this mechanism a rope 6 passes over a sheave f, having its free end provided with a weightf. The friction and ratchet mechanism E is so constructed as to be free to move in one direction, while it is frictionally connected in the other direction, and is mounted on shaft F and consists of a ropedru m. or, as preferred and shown, the double 6o sheave G, having the grooves g for the rope e and the grooves g for the rope c, this sheave fitting loosely around a sleeve h, encircling the'shaft F, and being provided with the friction-surfaces t' i on each side thereof. A disk H is secured to said sleeve h by a key h and is provided with a friction-surface H on one side, which is adapted to bear against the surface 1' on the sheave G. Another disk I is secured to and around the shaft F by a key I, and an annular ratchet-facej is formed in the disk I, with which pawls j, pivoted on the disks H, are adapted to engage, while a friction-disk J is secured to the sleeve h by a key k and is adapted to bear against the surface 11 of said sleeve G. Fitting loosely around sleeve h against the disk J is a rubber spring K for increasing or decreasing the frictional contact of the disks H and J against the sheave G, and this spring is held in place by a washer k, engaging therewith, and by anut L, which engages with the sleeve h by screw threads in and bears against the washer k. A pin n is secured in one end of the shaft F for holding the sleeve h in place, and the opposite end of said shaft F fits within a step-bearing 0, secured in the bottom 19 of the tank P, which is filled with oil, water, or other suitable liquids, with which fan or flutter wheel blades Q, secured on arms q, secured around the shaft F, are adapted to engage. The cleats r are secured to the bottom 19 and sides 19 of v the tank P, and cleats s fit within slots 8 in the blades Q for restricting the movement of f the liquid within the tank P when the shafts 5 F are rotating the blades Q, and said shaftF' is supported by a bearing 15 between the mechanism E and the liquid-tank P.

The use and operation of my improved car checking device is as follows: The parts be- 103 ing assembled in position and the carAhaving started down the inclined tracks B, the axle a of said car A will strike against the hook D on the hook-track G and so retard the movement of said car A, when said car will proceed slowly down the track B and carry with it "the hook D, which will slide along the track by its base D. During the movement of such car A and hook D, engaging therewith, down the tracks B O the friction and ratchet mechanism E is in operation and the rope c, connected to said hook D and passing around the sheave G, is acting to revolve said sheave G to the right, and the bearing or friction surfaces 11 t" on said sheave G, being in contact with the hearing or friction surface H on said disk H and with said disk J, will cause the turning of said sleeve h and with it the disk H. As this sleeve h and disk H are thus revolved the pawlsj on said disk H, engaging with the ratchet-facej on the disk I, will act to revolve said disk I and with it the shaft F, and the revolving of said shaft F will cause the blades Q in the tank P to travel around within the liquid in said tank P, and the cleats r and s will act to prevent the too-rapid movement of said liquid within such tank P. When the car A has traveled down the tracks B and has reached a certain position, the hook D will drop down, as indicated by dotted lines, and the car A will be free to move by gravity down the track B to any desired place, while the hook D will be drawn back along its track 0 to its original position through the medium of the rope e, passing around the sheavef, and the weightf th ereon,which will cause the sheave G and disks H and J, as well as sleeve h, to turn in the opposite direction from the arrow and allow the pawlsj on the disks H to travel freely over the ratchet-face j on the disk I, so allowing said disk I and shaft F, wit-h its blades Q, to remain at rest.

If desired, the blades Q on the shaft F can be made of sufficient length so as to operate in the open air without the use of the tank P, and so retard the movement of the shaft F and mechanism E when the hook D is in engagement with the car A.

In Fig. 3' is shown another manner of opcrating the hook D, which consists in providing wheels (1, mounted on axles in the base D and adapted to travel on the hooktrack 0.

It will be evident that when the shaft F is used in a vertical position the parts K, k, and L may be dispensed with and a Weight used and connected with the sleeve, in which case the pin a can be done away with, and it is also obvious that the well-known form of a winding-drum can be used in place of the sheave Gr, while various other modifications in the construction, design, and arrangement 1 of the different parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

It will thus be seen that my improved oarchecking device is cheap and simple in its construction and operation and by its use the cars will be checked in moving down inclined tracks and at the same time will be permitted to travel down such tracks. The device will prevent injury to the cars and controlling mechanism and will not get out of order, as the parts are strong and durable and will opcrate easily and quickly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigidly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, and ratchet mechanism for automatically permitting said hook to move along with said car.

2. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigdily mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, ratchet mechanism for automatically permitting said hook to move with said car, and mechanism for automatically retarding the movement of said car.

3. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigidly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, and ratchet mechanism forautomatically permitting said hook to move along with said car and release itself.

4. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigidly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, ratchet mechanism for automatically permitting said hook to move along with said car and release itself, and mechanism connected to said ratchet mechanism for automatically retarding the movement of said car.

5. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigidly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, and ratchet mechanism for automatically permitting said hook to move along with said car, release itself, and be returned to place.

6. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rigidly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, ratchet mechanism for automatically permitting said hook to move along with said car, release itself, and be returned to place, and mechanism connected to said ratchet mechanism for automatically retarding the movement of said car.

7. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook rig-idly mounted on a traveling base for engaging with said car, a rope connected to said hook, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging said rope, and ratchet mechanism connected to said sheave and shaft for automatically permitting said hook to move along with said car, release itself. and be returned to place.

8. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, and disks loosely mounted around and secured to said shaft for engaging with said sheave to automatically permit said hook to travel with the car, release itself and be returned to place.

9. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engagingwith said IIO car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, a disk secured to said shaft, and disks loosely mounted around said shaft and engaging with said sheave and firstnamed disk for permitting said hook to travel with the car, release itself and be returned to place.

10. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said ear, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, blades or arms mounted on said shaft, and ratchet mechanism interposed between said sheave and blades or arms to permit the sheave to rotate in one direction without rotating the blades or arms.

11. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a Weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, a disk secured to said shaft and provided with a ratchet-face thereon, a sleeve loosely surrounding said shaft, disks secured to said sleeve and adapted to engage said sheave, and pawls on one of said disks adapted to engage with the ratchet-face on the first-named disk to permit said hook to travel with the car, release itself and he returned to place.

12. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, a shaft, ratchet mechanism connected to said shaft for automatically permitting the hook to travel with said car, release itself and be returned to place, and mechanism connected to said shaft and engaging with fluid for retarding the movement of said car and hook.

13. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, a shaft, ratchet mechanism connected to said shaft for automatically permitting the hook to travel with said car, release itself, and be returned to place, and revolving blades or arms connected to said shaft and engaging with fluid to retard the movement of said car and hook.

14-. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, a shaft, ratchet mechanism connected to said shaft for automatically permitting the hook to travel with said car, release itself and be returned to place, a tank surrounding said shaft, and blades or arms on said shaft adapted to engage with the liquid in the tank to retard the movement of said car and hook.

15. In a ear-ehecking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, a rope connected to said hook, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging said rope, said rope passing over a second sheave and having a weight at its free end, and mechanism connected to said first-named sheave and shaft adapted to engage with fluid for automatically permitting said hook to travel with the car, release itself and be returned to place.

16. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a Weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, and means engaging with the side face of said sheave for increasing or decreasing frictional contact on said sheave.

17. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, a disk engaging with said sheave, and means engaging with the side face of said disk for increasing or decreasing frictional contact on said sheave.

18. In a car-checking device, the combina tion with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and on gaging with said ropes, a disk engaging with said sheave, and a flexible connection adapted to engage with the side face of said disk for increasing or decreasing frictional contact on said sheave.

19. In a car-checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, a disk engaging with said sheave, a washer on said shaft, and a rubber or flexible spring between said disk and washer for increasing or decreasing the frictional contact on said sheave.

20. In a car -checking device, the combination with a car, of a hook engaging with said car, ropes connected to said hook and to a weight, a sheave mounted on a shaft and engaging with said ropes, a disk engaging with said sheave, a Washer on said shaft, a nut on said shaft and engaging with said washer, and a rubber or flexible spring between saiddisk and washer for increasing or decreasing the frictional contact on said sheave.

In testimony whereof I, the said ALFRED M. ACKLIN, have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED M. ACKLIN.

'Witnesses:

J. N. OooKE, J. L. TREFALLER. 

